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Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport

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BEST Undertaking
Company typeState-owned enterprise
IndustryPublic transport,
Electricity
FoundedMumbai (1873)
HeadquartersMumbai, India
Key people
Swadheen Kshatriya, General Manager
Productsnone
RevenueRs. 2,353.40 cr. ($538.7m USD) (2004)
Number of employees
44,000 (2005)
Websitewww.bestundertaking.com

The BEST (Marathi: बेस्ट) or the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport is Mumbai's public transport service and electricity provider. The government-owned organisation, which was set up in 1873, operates one of India's largest fleet of buses. Originally setup as a tramway company, it branched out into supplying electricity to the city in 1905, and later into operating buses in 1926. The BEST is run by the city's municipality as an autonomous body.

The bus transport service covers the entire city and also extends its operations outside city limits into neighbouring Navi Mumbai, Thane and Mira Road. In addition to buses, it also operates a ferry service in the northern reaches of the city. The electricity division of the organisation is also one of the few electricity departments in India to garner an annual net profit.

Until 1995, BEST stood for Bombay Electricity Supply and Transport. After the name of the city was formally changed from Bombay to Mumbai, this was also reflected with the adjustment to Brihanmumbai, which means "Greater Mumbai".

History

Origins

The idea of a mass public transport system were first put forward in the city in 1865, by an American company which applied for a licence to operate a horse-drawn tramway system. Although a licence was granted, the project was never realised owing to the prevailing economic depression in the city. The end of the American Civil War, during which Bombay had made vast strides in its economy by supplying cotton and textiles to the world markets, was the reason for the economic downturn.

Later, on 1871-11-27, a notice in the Times of India newspaper put by the Bombay Omnibus Service, proposed to set up a bus service between Malabar Hill and Fort. However, the proposed monthly pass fare of thirty pounds proved to be too expensive, and the tender was promptly abandoned.

The tram company

Early 20th century trams

The birth of the BEST dates back to 1873, with the setting up of the Bombay Tramway Company Limited, which was given the licence to operate trams in the city. The Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) was given the right to purchase the company after twenty-five years, or after seven years thereafter. In 1874, the Bombay Tramways Act was enacted after the contract was formally signed between the Municipality and the Company which permitted such a transport system.

On 1874-05-09, the first horse-drawn carriage made its début in the city, plying on two routes. The two routes were from Colaba to Pydhone via Crawford Market, and Bori Bunder to Pydhone, via Kalbadevi. The initial fare was three annas, and no tickets were issued. As the service became increasingly popular, the fare was reduced to two annas. Later that year issue of tickets was also started to curb the increasing ticketless travel.

Gas lamps of the early 20th century

In 1899, the company applied to the BMC, for operation of electrically operated trams. Due to the high investment required, the company suggested that the BMC should waive its right to take over the tramways, which was to take place in 1901 according to the contract. However, instead of agreeing to this, the BMC decided to take over the company. The takeover created several legal problems, which lead to the foundation of a new public company, the Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways Company Limited, which bought out the Bombay Tramway Company in 1905.

That same year, the company also acquired the British Electric Traction Company, which owned a 1,100 hp (820 kw) generator and serviced 107 consumers. Two years later, the first electric tram debuted in the city. Later that year, a 4,300 kw steam power generator was commissioned at Wari Bunder. In 1916, power purchase from the Tata Power group, a privately owned company, was started and by 1925, all power generation was outsourced from Tata.

Advent of buses

The city's first bus started operations in 1926

Since 1913, the company had been pondering over starting a motorised bus service. The main factor against its introduction was the high accident rate for a similar service in London. Finally after years of debate, the company came to a decision on 1926-02-10, to start a bus service later that year. On 1926-07-15, the first bus service in India was started on three routes. Despite stiff opposition and protests by taxi-drivers, the service ran without a hitch, transporting six lakh (600,000) passengers by the end of that year. The following year the number had increased to 38 lakhs (3.8 million). The trams meanwhile, due to their lower fares, were relegated to being a poor man's transport.

The Indian independence movement's call for mass non-violent strikes and general civil disobedience, led to regular service disruptions, leading to the company incurring huge losses in 1929. The next year was a particular bad year for the company in the wake of the Great Depression. To circumvent the mounting losses the company introduced discounted fares for short routes and also increased its coverage to the northern portions of the city. This move had the desired effect and the company remained solvent. In 1937, the double-decker bus was introduced which proved to be extremely popular due to its size.

World War II brought with it the rationing of fuel and the shortage of tyres. The increasing costs of owing a car, forced many to switch to using the bus services. Despite the high losses, the company diligently plied its buses and trams to cater to the residents.

The BEST Undertaking

Electric House in Colaba area is the headquarters of the BEST.

After the war, and India's independence, the management was taken over by the BMC in 1947-08-07 and the company was renamed to as the BEST Undertaking.

As the company grew post independence, it increased its fleet from 242 to 582 over the following decade. In 1949 it took over the Bandra Bus Company which used to ply in the suburbs. In 1951, the electricity division switched over to the more efficient alternating current (AC), from direct current (DC). The company launched its services in the eastern suburbs in 1955. That year the Undertaking and private operators went to court with the BEST asking for a complete closure of the private companies. The case dragged on for four years before the Supreme Court of India granted the organisation a complete monopoly over bus services in the Greater Bombay area. In 1964 due to high operational costs and poor public support, its long running tram services were terminated.

The company achieved the status of being to the first company in the country to issue computerised billing in 1974. In 1994, the company introduced electronic meters, in a move to replace the less accurate electric meters. Following a Supreme Court directive, the company has been gradually phasing out old buses and intoducing new buses which comply with the Euro II pollution control standards.

Transport

BEST double decker

The BEST runs a total of 3,391 buses, ferrying 4.5 million passengers over 340 routes. A total of 22,000 drivers and conductors are employed by the organisation. The transport department employs nearly 38,000, or roughly 11.2 persons per bus. Single decker buses make up the bulk of the fleet, followed by the double-deckers and air-conditioned buses which ply on select routes to reduce the number of cars on the roads. Following court directives, the company launched limited 'disabled friendly' buses in 2005 which have low ramps and space for wheelchairs on exclusive routes. On the city's two Express highways, vestibule buses ply. These buses have a capacity of 110 and were introduced in 1997. All buses are tagged with a route number and its corresponding destination. They are displayed in the front (in Marathi) and at the side (in English).

BEST bus.

Buses are categorised under four categories: Ordinary, Limited, Express and Special. Ordinary are the most common buses stopping at all bus stops. Ordinary buses are identified by a white route number on a black background. Limited buses stop only at important stops, skipping minor stops in between. They have a marginally higher fare and are identified by the route number in red on a white background (this combination is sometimes also inversed). Many Limited buses have been converted to Ordinary buses since the early 1990s. Special buses are present on select routes covering train terminuses and the central business districts. These buses have a fare marginally higher than the Limited buses. Express buses ply on long distances and have fares that are the same as the Special buses, but lesser stops as compared to the Limited buses. Air-conditioned buses have the highest fares, a little over four times the fare of an Ordinary bus.

The Manori II, the only ferry service run by the BEST in the city.

In June 2005, in order to cut costs, BEST decided to hire buses from private operators instead of procuring new buses. These buses would look the same as a regular bus, but the maintenance and salaries would be taken care of by the private operators. The BEST also plans to install GPS systems on all its buses to monitor them in realtime. It also plans to reintroduce pre-paid smart cards along selected routes. This service was installed in 1998, but was terminated in 2000 after suffering glitches.

Besides buses, BEST also operates a ferry service which commenced in 1981, in northern Mumbai across the Manori Creek. The barges operate at regular intervals across the shallow creek linking Manori to Malad.

Electric department

Power, supplied by the Tata Group is brought to the city across creeks in pylons like these.

Since 1926 all its power has completely sourced from Tata Power, part of the Tata Group conglomerate. The power cables are all underground which reduces pilferage and other losses which plague most other parts of India. Power received is 3-phase, 50 Hz, 220/110 kV. Unlike the transport company, the electricity department services the Mumbai City area only and not the suburbs. It provides power to over a million shops, residences and offices, and over 33,000 street lights in the city.

The electricity department has 6,000 employees. The city has three 110 kV, and twenty-two 33 kV and 22 kV substations each. BEST has a distribution loss of around 10% (2001), among the lowest in India. For administrative purposes, the city is divided into two regions.

In 2003 the Electricity Act (2003) came into force which has made it mandatory for electricity providers to generate at least 10% of their power through renewable sources. To comply with this act, BEST plans to install photovoltaic cells in each of its 25 depots. They also plan to use solar power in gardens and street lighting where the demand is low. Another avenue looked at are the 7,000 tonnes of garbage which can be potentially used to generate 350 MW of electricity.Template:Inote

Organisation

Management structure of BEST

The company is headed by a general manager, currently Swadheen Kshatriya. The traffic department is overseen by an Assistant General Manager (Traffic Operations) and assisted by the Chief Traffic Manager (Sr.). The Chief Traffic Manager oversees the five BEST zones, each headed by a Traffic Manager. Each zone consists of 5 to 6 depots, whose operations are overseen by an Assistant General Manager (Traffic Operation). A Traffic Superintendent or Assistant Traffic Superintendent heads each depot.

The electricity department is headed by a Deputy General Manager (electric supply), DGM (ES). Assisting him is the Assistant General Manager (electric supply) AGM (ES), in charge of planning, new projects, construction, street lighting, computer applications and the generation cell. The Chief Engineer Electric Supply (CEES), reports to the DGM (ES) through the AGM (ES) and is in-charge of material testing and standards department; meters and relays department; and the review committee. Two Chief Engineer Distribution (CED) officers manage the two administrative zones.

The BEST enjoys a high degree of autonomy under BMC though, with the latter only having to approve its yearly budget before it is passed, and seeking its permission for a hike in bus fares. A body of seventeen municipal corporators from the ruling party in the BMC form the BEST Committee. The committee, headed by a chairman, keeps a tab on the undertaking's daily operations. Template:Inote They have a staggered two year term.Template:Inote

Finances

Electricity revenues: Blue–Income, Red–Expenditure, Green–Net profits

In the financial year 2004-05, the company earned Rs. 1,514.22 crore[1] from its electricity department and 839.18 cr. from its transport department. Profits from its electricity department totalled Rs. 152.82 cr. (35m US$), and losses in its transport department totalled Rs. 212.86 cr. ($48.8m), giving the company a net loss of Rs. 62.04 cr. ($14.2m).

Transport revenues

For the financial year 2005-06, BEST is expected to earn Rs. 1,540.13 cr. ($352.92m) with a profit of 140.8 cr. ($32.3m) from the electricity department alone. However, its transport department is expected to earn 948.68 cr. ($217.39m), with a loss of 140.30 cr. ($32.26m). This gives it an estimated net loss of Rs. 50 lakhs ($114,575).[2] Newer management techniques such as retrenching of excess staff (494 till date),Template:Inote and the closure of less patronised routes, have reduced the losses in recent years, from a high of Rs. 175 cr. ($40.1m) in 2001. Template:Inote

Net profit/loss.

Daily earning from its transport system is Rs. 2 cr. ($458,450). It collects Rs. 70 lakh ($160,450) worth of five rupee coins daily, Rs. 48 lakh ($110,000) worth of ten and twenty rupee notes, and Rs. 60 lakh ($137,535) worth of fifty rupee notes. This has led a unique situation wherein it has accumulated a surplus of short change. In July 2005, the company floated tender inquiries to 54 banks to exchange the loose change, which totalled 4.67 cr. ($1.07m). However, none of the banks sent in a single bid, some citing that their vaults are full, and others saying it would be unprofitable for low denominations, given security considerations. Template:Inote

Though the BEST is a government-owned company, it does not receive any financial assistance from the BMC or the state government. Template:Inote

Culture and awards

BEST bus tickets

BEST has been a quintessential part of the city. The red double decker buses modelled on the London buses are one of the defining characteristics of the city. When BEST decided to do away with the double-deckers for operational reasons recently, public protests and sentiment forced it to continue with the service. A move to colour all its buses saffron from red in 1997 also drew in sharp criticism, resulting in the red colour being retained. Bus drivers and conductors have come in for praise in the media for their service during the 2005 Mumbai floods, where they ensured that all the stranded passengers were dropped safely to their destinations. A total of 900 buses were rendered useless due to the deluge.

The organisation has received the following awards for safety and management:

  • The prize for the second best production achievement by an urban transport body in the country for the year 1982.
  • The second prize for production achievement in Urban Transport during the year 1984.
  • A memento for the Administrative Report and Statement of Accounts of the Undertaking for the year 1983-84 awarded by the selection committee nominated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
  • The first place and the Best production achievement award in the category of urban transport for the year 1986-87.
  • National Productivity Award for the year 1991-92.
  • Award for the best passenger-safety record for the year 1994.
  • The prestigious award for the Best Passenger-Safety performance in Urban Transport in the whole country instituted by the Association of State Road Transport Undertaking (ASRTU) for the year 1995-96.
  • International Road Safety Award for the year 2003.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to BEST.

BEST

Notes

  1. ^ 1 crore = 10 million. (See Indian numbering system). Rs 1 cr. = 230,000 US$ approx. Exchange rate: Rs. 43.6 = 1 US$ as of 2005-08-27.
  2. ^ 1 lakh = 100,000.

References

Template:Explain-inote

Web references
  • "Tram-car arrives". BEST Undertaking. August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "Motor-Bus appears". BEST Undertaking. August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "Electricity arrives in Mumbai". BEST Undertaking. August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "B.E.S.&T. Company". BEST Undertaking. August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "B.E.S.T. Undertaking". BEST Undertaking. August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "Progress of Bus Service". BEST Undertaking. August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "Alternative modes of transport". BEST Undertaking. August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "Electric Supply". BEST Undertaking. August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "Organisational Setup (Transport)". BEST Undertaking. August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "Organisational Setup (Electric)". BEST Undertaking. August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "Financial Highlights and Budget Estimates". BEST Undertaking. August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "Awards". BEST Undertaking. August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "Road warrior: City's bus service proves it's BEST". Economic Times. August 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • "BEST Committee". Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai. August 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
Newspapers
  • May the Best Man Win; Manu Joseph; Times of India, Mumbai; pg-3; 2005-08-21
  • BEST will have to wait to become smart; Ashley D'Mello/Times News Network; pg-3;Times of India; 2 July, 2005.
  • Short of funds, BEST looks to solar power; Olav Albuquerque; Times of India; pg 3; 2005-07-08.
  • Exit clause introduced in BEST-TPC pact; Times News Network; pg-4; Times of India; 2005-07-07.
  • BEST to hire buses from private operators; Olav Albuquerque; Times of India; pg 7; 2005-06-04.
  • You could now approach BEST for some loose change; Olav Albuquerque/TNN; Times of India; pg 3; 2005-07-06.
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